Anglo-Dutch
Anglo Dutch Pools and Toys is a family-owned specialty retailer in Bethesda, Maryland, selling children's toys, swimming gear, and pool and spa supplies through one storefront and a Shopify e-commerce site, serving families and residential pool owners across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersBethesda, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Anglo-Dutch does
Anglo Dutch Pools and Toys is a privately held, family-owned specialty retailer founded in May 1985 in Bethesda, Maryland, operating a single brick-and-mortar store at 5460 Westbard Avenue and a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront. The company sells three interconnected categories — children's toys and games, swimming and training gear, and pool and spa maintenance supplies — carrying more than 70 third-party brands including LEGO, Jellycat, Melissa & Doug, Playmobil, BioGuard, Speedo, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Its customer base is exclusively consumer-facing, comprising families with children, gift shoppers, swimmers, and residential pool/spa owners in the Bethesda/Washington D.C. trade area and, via the website, across the contiguous United States and select international destinations.
The company's principal service differentiator is pool and spa expertise: it is an authorized Aqua Products dealer and service center providing factory-parts repair for Aquabot robotic and pressure-side cleaners, and it operates BioGuard's ALEX software with SmartLab disc-reading technology to deliver complimentary computerized water analysis in approximately 90 seconds. Additional value-added in-store services include custom swimming goggle fittings, complimentary gift wrapping, in-store pickup for online orders, and same-day local delivery. A FiveStars points-based loyalty program and a 15%-off newsletter incentive support customer retention and acquisition.
Anglo Dutch generates revenue almost entirely through one-time retail product sales at unit prices plus ancillary service fees (notably a $40 bench fee plus parts for pool cleaner repair), with no subscription, licensing, or recurring-revenue streams disclosed. The business has no external institutional funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no recorded M&A, restructuring, or leadership transitions, and it has remained a self-described "mom-and-pop" operation across more than 38 years of continuous trading.
Anglo-Dutch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Anglo-Dutch
- Legal name
- Anglo Dutch Pools & Toys
- Website
- https://anglodutchpoolsandtoys.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Anglo Dutch Pools and Toys is a family-owned specialty retailer in Bethesda, Maryland, selling children's toys, swimming gear, and pool and spa supplies through one storefront and a Shopify e-commerce site, serving families and residential pool owners across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Anglo-Dutch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Retail Store (Toys, Swimming Gear, and Pool/Spa Supplies)
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail (CRALAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)
Keywords
Where Anglo-Dutch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethesda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Anglo-Dutch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: Direct sales of toys, games, pool supplies, swimming accessories, and sporting goods through both physical retail store and e-commerce website. One-time product purchases at listed retail prices.
- Pool & Spa Services: Revenue from repair services for pool cleaners (including $40 bench fee plus parts), water analysis services, and swimming goggle fitting services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing for toys, games, and swimming/pool products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Anglo-Dutch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Anglo-Dutch operates a brick-and-mortar and e-commerce specialty retail store in Bethesda, Maryland, selling children's toys and games, swimming and training gear, and pool and spa supplies across more than 70 brands. The company also offers complementary services including complimentary computerized water analysis, swimming goggle fittings, robotic and pressure-side pool cleaner repair (as an authorized Aquabot service center), free gift wrapping, gift registry, in-store pickup, and shipping.
Product overview
Anglo-Dutch Pools and Toys operates as a physical retail store in Bethesda, Maryland with an e-commerce platform, specializing in three interconnected product categories: Children's Toys and Games (including stuffed animals, plush toys, trading cards, dolls, educational toys, puzzles, games, and arts & crafts), Swimming and Training Gear (comprising goggles, swimwear, flotation devices, and water accessories), and Pool and Spa Supplies (including chemicals, equipment, and maintenance products). The company offers both products and services, with services including gift wrapping, in-store pickup, pool/spa water analysis, swimming goggle fittings, and pool cleaner repair. They carry numerous third-party brands including Jellycat, Yu-Gi-Oh!, LEGO, Melissa & Doug, and many others.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Children's Toys and Games Retail category of children's toys and games for families, gift buyers, and kids of all ages, featuring 70+ brands including LEGO, Melissa & Doug, Jellycat, and Yu-Gi-Oh!.
- Swimming and Training Gear Retail category of swimming accessories and training equipment for swimmers, lifeguards, and aquatic athletes, complemented by in-store goggle fittings.
- Pool and Spa Supplies Retail category of pool and spa chemicals, equipment, and accessories for residential pool and spa owners, including BioGuard and Aqua Products lines and robotic cleaners.
- Pool and Spa Water Analysis Free in-store water testing using SmartLab and BioGuard's ALEX software, plus a water sample submission service, to recommend the right chemicals and treatments for pool and spa owners.
- Swimming Goggle Fittings In-store personalized fitting service for swimming goggles, providing expert recommendations based on face shape and use case.
- Robotic and Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner Repair Authorized Aquabot service center providing repair of robotic and pressure-side pool cleaners for pool owners.
- Gift Wrapping Service Free in-store gift wrapping service for purchases, supporting gift shoppers and special occasions.
- Gift Registry Gift registry service maintained by the store, enabling customers to register for wanted items for special occasions.
- In-Store Pickup Free in-store pickup option for online orders, allowing local customers to collect purchases at the Bethesda store.
- Shipping Service Standard shipping service with free shipping on orders of $75+ to the contiguous United States, supporting the e-commerce channel.
- Jellycat Plush Toys Jellycat branded plush toy line sold as part of the children's toys assortment, targeting gift buyers and families.
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Cards Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game product line sold as part of the children's toys and games assortment, targeting collectors and young players.
Companies that use Anglo-Dutch
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Anglo-Dutch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Anglo-Dutch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Aqua ProductscoreAuthorized Dealer and Service Center of Aqua Products. Provides repair services for Aquabot pool cleaners using only genuine factory parts. Over the years acquired experience and knowledge necessary to repair Aquabot units with precision.
- BioGuardcoreUses BioGuard's exclusive ALEX software technologies for computerized pool and spa water analysis. Partnership enables complimentary water testing with SmartLab technology.
- FiveStarsminorLoyalty program partnership providing points-based rewards system for customers. Customers can earn points for purchases and redeem for discounts and rewards.
- ShopifycoreE-commerce platform provider hosting the online store. Shopify provides secure payment processing through PCI-DSS compliant infrastructure.
- JellycatcoreCarries Jellycat brand plush toys and accessories including Amuseable Ramen, Sweater French Bulldog, and Odyssey Octopus product lines.
- Yu-Gi-Oh!coreAuthorized retailer of Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game products including TCG tins and booster packs.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Anglo-Dutch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Target: Mass general-merchandise retailer carrying extensive toy assortments plus seasonal pool and swimming products. Competes for family basket share across both categories through aggressive pricing and broad distribution, applying pressure on Anglo Dutch's commodity-skewed lines.
- Amazon: Mass e-commerce platform with dominant selection and pricing across toys, swimming gear, and pool supplies. Operates as the principal indirect competitor whose pricing benchmarks and logistics shape consumer expectations across Anglo Dutch's entire assortment.
- Pool Corporation (PoolCorp): Largest wholesale distributor of pool products, equipment, and supplies, serving retailers and service companies across North America. Acts as a broader incumbent and supply-chain backbone for the same pool products Anglo Dutch retails, indirectly shaping the pricing and availability of its assortment.
- LEGO Brand Stores: Branded specialty toy retail operated by LEGO (and broader LEGO.com channel) selling construction toys directly to consumers. Competes with Anglo Dutch's LEGO category through D2C pricing and exclusive sets, illustrating the brand-assortment dependency risk in Anglo Dutch's model.
- Scholastic: Publishing and educational-product retailer with multichannel reach into schools, families, and book-and-toy shoppers. Overlaps with Anglo Dutch in children's toys, games, puzzles, and educational product categories, though primarily through wholesale-to-school and book-fair channels rather than a comparable specialty storefront.
Direct peers
- INYOPools: Online-direct pool supplies retailer focused on chemicals, equipment, parts, and accessories for residential pool owners. Directly competes with Anglo Dutch's e-commerce pool/spa channel on selection and pricing without a physical retail anchor, making it a complementary rather than identical competitor.
- Leslie's Pool Supplies: Largest U.S. specialty pool supplies retailer combining brick-and-mortar stores with a robust e-commerce platform. Direct overlap with Anglo Dutch across pool chemicals, equipment, maintenance supplies, and accessory categories, with similar authorized-service-center and water-testing service offerings.
- FAO Schwarz: Iconic specialty toy retailer offering a curated multi-category toy assortment combined with experiential in-store elements. Comparable to Anglo Dutch in gift-driven positioning, premium brand curation (including Jellycat plush), and high-touch customer experience targeting families seeking meaningful gifting purchases.
- Pinch a Penny Pool Patio Spa: Franchise-based pool, patio, and spa retailer with physical storefronts across the southern U.S. Directly competes in pool chemicals, equipment, parts, and seasonal accessories, and shares the local-service retail model that anchors customer relationships around water-testing and repair.
Emerging players
- Build-A-Bear Workshop: Specialty toy retailer with an experience-based model centered on customizable stuffed animals and gift occasions. Partial overlap with Anglo Dutch in children's gifting and plush category (which intersects with Jellycat offerings), but limited overlap in pool/spa.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Anglo-Dutch social profiles
Digital presenceAnglo-Dutch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Anglo-Dutch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Anglo-Dutch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Anglo-Dutch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Anglo-Dutch
What does Anglo-Dutch do?
Anglo-Dutch operates a brick-and-mortar and e-commerce specialty retail store in Bethesda, Maryland, selling children's toys and games, swimming and training gear, and pool and spa supplies across more than 70 brands. The company also offers complementary services including complimentary computerized water analysis, swimming goggle fittings, robotic and pressure-side pool cleaner repair (as an authorized Aquabot service center), free gift wrapping, gift registry, in-store pickup, and shipping.
Is Anglo-Dutch a public or private company?
Anglo-Dutch is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Anglo-Dutch founded?
Anglo-Dutch was founded in 1985. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Anglo-Dutch based?
Anglo-Dutch is headquartered in Bethesda, United States, in the North America region.
How does Anglo-Dutch make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are pool & Spa Services.
Who are Anglo-Dutch's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Target, Amazon, Pool Corporation (PoolCorp), LEGO Brand Stores and Scholastic. Direct peers are INYOPools, Leslie's Pool Supplies, FAO Schwarz and Pinch a Penny Pool Patio Spa. Build-A-Bear Workshop is listed as an emerging player.
Does Anglo-Dutch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Anglo-Dutch.
What industry is Anglo-Dutch in?
Anglo-Dutch's product category is Specialty Retail Store (Toys, Swimming Gear, and Pool/Spa Supplies). Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAC, Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMABAI, Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.